Snowy led the way, her wings slicing the darkness like a noiseless torch, guiding Lynsithea, Sasha, and Dimitri to their objective. Down below them, the far-off lights of Aerathis twinkle like bright diamonds in the darkness. However, all she and her friends could keep their eyes on was that looming airship in front of them. Tension filled the air because each of them well knew what they were for.
"There it is!" Lynsithea said, her pointing finger arrowed toward the airship disappearing into the sky. Her voice was tight with urgency, her eyes glued to the ship. "That's the one. Alektos and Parveen are in there!"
Sasha narrowed her eyes, cold energy coursing through her veins. "We haven't got the time to wait!" she snarled, her voice sharp with focus.
Reaching out for the air, her magic began to call forth from it a shimmering lance of ice. Her arm straightened through the motion, and the weapon came to life in her hand, glowing in pale blue.
Dimitri slowed for a moment, looking up toward the airship, which was drifting forward slowly toward its destination.
"Are we sure that'll work?" he asked, his voice betraying an inkling of doubt in his tone.
"Just trust us," Sasha said sternly. She did not wait for further discussion. With a swift swing of her wrist, she hurled the iced lance toward the airship.
The ice projectile sliced through the air, its point gleaming white in the moonlight. It hit the side of the airship in a loud crack that ran through the metal frame with shudders. And sparks cascaded from the engines which began to sputter as they told the world that they had been hit.
Lynsithea shielded her eyes from the wind that followed, her heart pounding. "It's losing control!" she shouted as the ship began to tilt woefully to one side, its descent becoming increasingly erratic.
Sasha does not hesitate. Another lance materializes in her hand, but this one is longer, and sharper. She throws it at the building next door, the icy spear burying itself into the wall, taking the form of a jagged set of frozen stairs. "We have to get to them before it crashes!" she says, her voice steely.
She didn't say a word, and ran towards the stairs, fast feet stomping on the ice that glistened like it had been yesterday. Every step was precarious, but she was determined to climb because every second counted.
Dimitri followed on, his steps a bit less substantial, but the urgency of the situation propelled him forward. "We have no idea what's waiting for us in there!" he called, voice tinged with worry as he glanced over at the drones circling above the falling airship.
Ignoring all her worries, Sasha looked only at the objective at hand. She conjured up another frozen lance and cast it into the sky, shattering a drone that had come too close for comfort. The drone exploded in a shower of sparks as it spiraled down toward the city streets below.
They thudded against the top of the ice staircase, and the airship heeled violently as its engines spluttered out. The ship was plummeting downwards now, urgent speed rocketing inwards as Lynsithea's breath caught in her throat. "Sasha, we're running out of time!"
This was it; Sasha's eyes glinted with cold determination. "This is it," she said, her voice low and resolute. "We reach them now, or it's over!"
With the airship falling and stuttering toward the ground, Lynsithea's heart leaped with excitement. In the corner of her vision, she saw two figures tumbling from the airship—Alektos and Parveen, handcuffed, screaming as they plunged through the air.
"There!" she exclaimed, pointing toward them. Without hesitation, she leaped forward, diving after Alektos, while Sasha hurled herself toward Parveen.
The wind screamed through Lynsithea's ears, her arms spread wide as she rushed through the sky. She flung Alektos aside and he panicked for a moment, yelling as he picked up speed. Just before he hit the ground, she snatched at him, her body jolting with the impact.
"Gotcha!" Lynsithea gritted out, her arms on fire from the weight of Alektos carrying them down.
Alektos, panting and stunned, blurted out in a gasp, "That was close"
Sasha caught Parveen a few strides away, the two of them spinning mid-air before she steadied them with a spurt of cold magic. The two of them hung suspended in midair for a moment as Sasha winced with strain.
"Why are you so heavy?!" Sasha ground out through gritted teeth, yanking her hold to keep him from thudding against the stone. Parveen's eyes went wide, his face flushing with embarrassment.
"It's these cuffs, I swear!" Parveen mumbled, squirming uncomfortably as they descended. "And maybe all the armor they forced on me."
Sasha rolled her eyes. "You better not make a habit of this." She cast a glance toward Lynsithea, who was drifting downward with Alektos.
As they all touched down safely, Lynsithea sat Alektos back down on the ground. "You two okay?"
Alektos nodded shakily still trying to suck in air. "I've had better days."
Sasha dropped Parveen scowling at him as she rubbed sore arms. "Next time do us a favor and don't fall out of an airship."
Parveen laughed awkwardly. "I'll keep that in mind. thanks for the catch."
Lynsithea looked down at the smoldering heap of wreckage that had once been an airship. "We should get going; the rest of the guards will be arriving soon enough."
"Yeah," Sasha said, getting up and brushing herself off. "Let's get these shackles off and see what Wei has planned for now."
For it was only when Lynsithea and the rest of her group darted through the alley that she finally turned her head up, her narrowed eyes scanning the dark sky as the ominous drone hum grew deafening as a storm cloud descended upon them.
"They are coming fast!" Alektos shouted aloud as the sound of the drones overwhelmed him.
Sasha spun mid-stride, cryo essence surging through her. In a smooth motion, she twirled her lance of frozen fury and swept the air, shouting, "Cryo Essence: Antarcticite!" An ice wall exploded from the ground behind them, expanding wide, its jagged peaks high enough to block the swarm of drones.
Drones smashed into the ice wall, the metallic bodies clanging against it with sparks flying everywhere. The wall groaned with the force, but held, buying them precious time.
"That won't hold for long!" Sasha yelled as they continued to run, her breath all ragged.
Lynsithea nodded but then stopped her steps altogether, her heart pounding inside her chest. "Wait. where's Dimitri?"
Alektos and Parveen stopped, and their panicking facies changed to confusion. "He was right behind us, wasn't he?" Parveen asked, scanning the chaos through the ice wall for any sign of Dimitri.
Sasha cursed under her breath. "He could have been separated when those drones attacked!"
Lynsithea's chest knotted with worry. "We can't just leave him. We need him"
More drones whirred overhead, avoiding the ice wall by flying over it. They swooped down, their lasers charging with a high-pitched whine.
"No time!" Sasha shouted, casting Lynsithea a glance. "We'll come back for him, but we have to go now! " She called up another Frozen Lance, hacking through two drones in the air as they charged.
Lynsithea gritted her teeth, wanting to find Dimitri but also desperately aware of the urgency of the situation. These drones would not give up, and every minute she dallied brought her that much farther from safety.
"Go!" Alektos pushed, tugging Lynsithea along. "We can't delay now or we all die!"
Her fists dug into her chest, anger smoldering inside it, but she nodded. "Okay. but we need to find him!" she muttered low and with determination.
As they made a mad dash forward, weaving out of additional drone fire, Sasha hollered over the noise, "We have to get underground! Maybe the sewers will give us some cover!"
Lynsithea nodded once more, her thoughts still lingering over Dimitri.
Alektos skidded to a stop, pointing down at the manhole. "That's our way down! It must lead into the sewers!"
But before they possibly could reach it, the manhole exploded up, releasing a swarm of drones that poured out like a torrent of metal and noise. "Great, just what we needed!" Parveen shouted her eyes quite wide with panic.
"Back! Everyone, back!" Sasha yelled, holding up her Frozen Lance. She swung it in a wide arc to splinter several drones headed for them, splitting them apart in mid-air.
The drones hover menacingly above, their sensors focusing their attention on the group below. A high-pitched whir fills the air as they advance, laser beams charging.
Out of the corner of her eye, Lynsithea saw one of the drones burst into flames setting off a cascade effect of more drones crashing to the ground.
[Sorry for being late!] Jade's voice crackled through their Quantum bracelets, confident smirk on her lips as she reloaded her sniper rifle.
"Jade!" Jade exclaimed in relief. "You're just in time!"
But more came out of the manhole, their mechanical wings humming like a swarm of angry bees. Jade squeezed the trigger, her shots precision lethal as she downed another drone. [I'll keep them off you! Just get moving!]
Sasha nodded, her blood racing. "We need to get those handcuffs off now!"
Lynsithea focused immediately on Alektos and Parveen. "Hold still!" She turned on her Verdant Essence, vines slithering from the ground to curl around the cuffs of the metal.
"What are you doing?" Alektos asked, with an appropriately nervous flick between the advancing drones and the increasing plants.
"Trust me!" Lynsithea said, her voice steady now. The vines pulled and twisted with a gentle force around the cuffs. "Just a little more …."
"I hope this works," Parveen said, biting his lip and watching the vines.
Sasha kept the drones at bay, swishing her lance at the ice sphere that surrounded her. "We don't have much time!" she yelled. "Hurry!"
As if the thought had been enough, the final cuff made its satisfying snap of release and slid free, and the vines all retrenched in a body. "You're good to go!" Lynsithea said, her breathing a bit short.
With a satisfied step back, Lynsithea didn't need to say another word. Alektos sprang into action, conjuring two impressively shimmering Water Daggers that glinted in the dim light. Parveen, literally and figuratively fuelled by adrenaline, called his Flaming Claymore, the blade igniting into a fierce glow.
"Go on!" Alektos shouted, slicing through the air as he dashed toward the first drone. The daggers struck with accuracy, causing water to splash and short-circuit the mechanical enemies. Every hit sent sparks flying, dancing in light and sound amidst the chaos.
Parveen charged in beside him, his claymore slashing down at a group of drones. "Feel the heat!" he yelped, flames lashing at the air as he swung his weapon, incinerating drones in a blazing explosion.
The drones buzzed angrily, firing laser beams in retaliation. But Parveen's quick footwork kept him just out of their reach.
"Watch out!" Lynsithea shouted as a drone came swooping down low, laser at the ready. She jerked up a wall of vines, bursting from the earth to protect them as the drone hit with a great crunch, tangling itself into the vines on the ground.
"Nice one, Lynsithea!" Sasha yelled as she hurled her Frozen Lance at another drone, encasing it in ice before it had a chance to return fire. "Move forward! Can't let them pin us against the wall!"
The noise of a crushing thud suddenly filled the air, accompanied by a blow of smoke that roiled in toward them, blocking their view. "What the—?" Lynsithea coughed, peering through the haze.
[Guys, come with me!] a voice called out from the whirl of smoke. It was Leo, his figure barely visible amidst the smoky chaos. [I know a way out! Hurry!]
[Just follow Leo!] Jade shouted amidst the confusion. [He knows the way! You can't stay there!]
"Let's move!" Alektos shouted, a sense of urgency in his voice as he jogged in the direction of Leo's voice, dodging an incoming laser beam. Parveen jogged in step beside him, claymore at the ready.
"Stay close!" Lynsithea urged as she followed the sound of Leo's voice, her own heart pounding. The smoke was thick, but by Leo's presence, they knew which way to go, sort of like a beacon in the darkness.
As they ran through the smoke, the noises of sputtering drones and explosions started ringing through all around them. They moved down a narrow alley in a direction where the chaos of battle faded away.
"We're almost there!" Leo yelled, peeking back to make sure everyone was behind them. "Just a little further!"
[Don't stop now!] Jade urged, scanning for any signs of danger as they hurried. [You guys are getting out of here!]
As their heartbeats increased and the sound of battle faded, they ran forward determined to get out of the swarm of drones and regroup.
As for Dimitri, he hid behind a pile of debris, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he watched the world around him go mad. Droning echoed through the air along with far-off shouting, but he pushed all that aside and waited for his next move. With a quick motion, he pulled out a small knife from his belt and stabbed it into his right thigh, biting back at the pain that shot through his leg.
The deed would sell the charade: he needed to fit in and become one of the thousands of victims swept up in the lunacy.
Leaning against the wall, his chest heaving as if he'd just run a mile, Dimitri watched as an Android, tall and moving on mechanical legs, scanned the room, his stare homing in on him.
[Dimitri, are you all right?] the Android inquired, and its deep, synthetic voice betrayed its concern.
Dimitri blinked, adopting confusion. "I..... I want to go home," he stuttered, trying to keep his voice steady under the adrenaline pumping through his system. "I just want to see my mom."
The Android softened its expression, a flicker of recognition in the glassy artificial eyes. [It's the middle of an operation. You have to stay safe. Can you walk?]
Dimitri nodded, forcing down on the agony that throbbed in his thigh. "I can handle it," he whispered back. "Just take me to her."
The Android hesitated a moment before reaching out and grasping his hand to help him up. "Alright, let's get you out of here. Stay close to me."
Dimitri marched toward the tower of the Wei with his mind racing ahead. He has to be vigilant, maintain his cover, and leave without losing himself. Every step felt heavy for him; yet, he was willing to play his part while planning his next moves.
---
[Air racing Tournament]
The roar of the engines and the deafening cheers of the crowd all became a cacophony as I navigated the treacherous twists and turns of the race course. Every contestant was a competitor, their eyes alight with the thrill of the chase—and with a singular goal: me. It felt like a pack of wolves circling their prey, and I was the target.
"Zane, stay focus!" Kira screamed, her voice as hard as the gusts rushing past us. I could feel the rigidity against my left side, and the concentrated seriousness hung over us, like a weight, to make the air feel heavier.
"Right!" I screamed back as my hands found the controls on the air-motorcycle with a renewed determination. Drones flew in at me with their threats, buzzing menacingly, and opponents were trying to ram me into oblivion in specially constructed speed agility machines.
I swerved sharply to the left, just avoiding a collision with a sleek red racer that was trying to cut me off. The rush of racing sparked something primal inside of me, and adrenaline flowed through my veins as I pushed the throttle down even further.
"We have to win this!" I shouted at Kira. "Elthernium is our way of stopping Wei!"
"I get that, but we can't get caught!" she answered, her eyes darting between the road and the drones homing in on us. "Just keep moving!"
There was an opening on the narrow pass between two rival racers. It was a risk, but the choice was mine. With a quick twist of the handlebars, I dived into this gap, sensing wind and other racers and competitors tapping against my sides. The roar from the crowd would get louder as the people realized what I was doing; some of them were gasping while others cheered.
"Watch out!" Kira cried, panic in her voice. I glanced in the rearview and saw a drone locking onto me, its laser sights glowing ominously.
"Hold on!" I shouted back, leaning into the bike and pushing it to its limits. The world around me blurred as I hit the accelerator. We shot forward, the drone trailing close behind, but I wasn't about to give up. With every ounce of determination, I swerved and dodged, feeling the thrill of the race intermingle with the fear of being caught.
"Tunnel ahead, Zane! Pump it!" Kira warned, her voice slicing through the rattle like a knife.
"Right!" I gritted my teeth, forcing every bit of power from the air-motorcycle. As we entered the tunnel, darkness swallowed us, but I could feel the pulsing energy of the race behind me. The drones were relentless, the competitors savage, but I had something to fight for. I had to win, not just for myself, but for all of us.
Kira's wings fluttered nervously next to me, but I could feel her grit. "We are not losing this," she declared, her determination making her look almost sharp-edged.
"That's right!" I shot back, adrenaline building inside me as I plowed forward into the madness, intent on snatching what awaited at the finish line.
The roar of the crowd thundered in my ears as I made the final turn, and the finish line was but a gleam ahead of me. I could hear my heart pounding in harmony with the thundering engines around me. I was in third position now, with the ground beneath my air-motorcycle vibrating with energy, and the two racers ahead of me were within striking distance.
"Just a bit more! You can do this!" Kira's voice sliced through the chaos and was a lifeline in the noise. I could see the resolve etched into her face, a reflection of my own.
I hunched low over the bike, squeezing the throttle with everything I had. The world outside blurred into a swirl of colors, the cheering crowd a distant roar as I focused solely on the racers in front of me. I could practically taste the Elthernium prize, the power it held—a chance to unlock my full potential. It fueled my drive, a blazing fire igniting my resolve.
I glanced over at the man directly ahead of me. He was a seasoned veteran known for his ruthless tactics. He had been jockeying his way through the entire race, but nothing was going to take this victory from me.
As we entered the final stretch, I saw a gap to the left—a risky move, I had to take. I shifted my weight, heart racing as I navigated air-motorcycle through that narrow space between two other rival bikes. It felt like an eternity to me; the world seemed to narrow down only to me and the finish line ahead.
"Go, go, go!" Kira shouted as if this was her electrifying plea to the very air that seemed to join in urging me to keep going down on the throttle.
We shot forward. The competition whizzed by; my body pressing flat against the seat, so I became one with it.
The roar of the crowd swelled, and their noise built with every inch that I gained.
Now, I could see the finishing line; banners were fluttering in the wind. My adrenaline surged, forcing me to go forward while getting closer to the first place.
But then, I heard it, the telltale whirr of drones closing in, their targeting systems locking onto me.
My breath caught in my throat, but I was not going to let that fear take hold. It was now. I needed to focus.
"Dodge left!" Kira shouted, and she snapped me back into reality. I pull on the handlebars, just as a salvo of laser fire screamed by only inches from our sides, barely missing the bike altogether. My hair was raised on end from the scrape against my arms, but I didn't yield.
The finish line was coming up. I could see the glow of the banner; I could hear the rising roar of the crowd from where they were standing. I almost had it.
"HOLD ON TIGHT!" I screamed to Kira as she tightened her hold on my waist as we plunged into the final turn, my heart racing harder than the engines around me.
I knew that I was going to make my move now. He was a few feet in front, and I wanted to leave everything left to me inside. And finally, after one final burst of speed, we boosted and launched forward like a comet flying across the sky.
All the sounds-the roar of the engines and the cheering crowd- disappeared and focused solely on one point: the finish line.
I felt adrenaline rush through my veins as I hit the boost, air-motorcycle roaring beneath me. I moved nimbly, my heart racing as I dodged the second competitor. Drones whizzed by, their lasers lighting up the air around us like deadly fireflies, and I kept my focus razor-sharp.
Just when I was going to pass the leader ahead, I saw a familiar figure ahead of me. It was Wei.
My heart started racing with disbelief; this was not what I was looking for. Everything seemed to freeze in that instant. I felt as though I could hardly breathe; my breath caught up in my throat.
I never got the chance to register my next move, as Wei drew out his gun, pointing straight into us.
"Zane!" Kira's voice cut through the rest of the din, as she sounded so urgent. I turned my head side ways to try to dodge as I felt the pressure in the air.
The sound of the gunshot boomed loudly, jarring my ears as I stood frozen in horror as the bullet struck Kira, tearing through her wings. I heard her gasp as she stumbled, and that merged with the roars of the engines and the cheering of the crowd into an indistinguishable background to the rush of adrenaline through my veins.
"Kira!" I yelled, my heart sinking as she winced in pain, her wings faltering for a moment. The motorcycle wobbled beneath us, and I gripped the handlebars tighter, trying to regain control.
"Keep going, Zane! Keep going!" she called her steady voice despite the pain showing her determination. And I didn't feel the same anymore. I was consumed only by rage; a surge of vengeance along with my need to save us and stay alive.
I turn sharply to the right, evading another burst of drone fire coming in our direction, my heart pounding to the beat of the chugging engines.
"I'm not leaving you!" I yelled out, shoving the accelerator even farther, desperate to put as much distance between us and Wei as I could.
There was a dull roar from the crowd, but my eyes remained riveted on the track. Thoughts were racing in my mind. I could see the finish line out there, shimmering there before me like some tantalizing goal that was just far enough away to be out of reach.
"Zane, focus! You can't let him get to you!" Kira yelled over the din of adrenaline and pain. I looked back, seeing Wei maneuver his airship, determination carved into his face.
I promised myself, "I'm not going to let him win," the weight of Kira's injuries bearing down on me like a leaden anchor. Fueled by determination, I gazed forward, promising myself that I'd make it to the finish line while leaving Wei in the dust.
I sharply turned to avoid another drone as I floored it on the throttle. The bike roared beneath us, yet my whole concentration was on that path. I was pushed forward with every ounce of strength I had.
As soon as the crowd caught a glimpse of Wei, the place went crazy. Cheers were bursting like firecrackers; the rumble of engines and drones drowned out their sound. My heart sank, absorbing the reaction, echoing the overwhelming excitement around me.
[Wei is here?!!! and he's First place, of all things!] the announcer bellowed, his voice over the din, dripping with incredulity. [What a twist! Can Zane pull off the impossible and take him down?!]
I gripped the handle tighter, gritting my teeth. I had to stop him.
So much weight was pressed heavily on my shoulders by that moment. It was far from being a race about winning anymore; it was about facing the very individual who had put us into danger.
With that, we accelerated on the straightaway I could see Wei cutting ahead, smug in his confidence, his car gliding so smoothly he seemed to be floating down the road. The chasm between us was enormous, but I knew the only way to bridge the gap was to close in.
I glanced over to Kira beside me with her face set in stone determination, the pain her wings inflicted reminding me what rode on the outcome.
"We have to catch him now!" Kira yelled across to me, determination propelling every word.
A quick flick of my wrist and I engaged the boost. The air-motorcycle rocketed forward, its engine roaring like a beast set free. I leaned into the acceleration, dodging drones that whizzed past us, their metallic bodies glinting menacingly in the harsh light. Every twist of the throttle made me feel adrenaline pumping through me.
"Zane, watch out!" Kira shouted, her eyes wide as she pointed at a cluster of drones converging on us.
I swerved just in time, narrowly avoiding a barrage of laser fire. The energy beams scorched the air where I'd just been, leaving only the echo of their threat behind.
I was focusing on Wei, and his vehicle was barely a speck ahead. The announcer's voice in my ears was a distant roar, [Will Zane close the gap? Can he overcome the odds?] Every word felt like a challenge, and I was not going to back down.
We're not letting him get away, I told myself more than Kira as my resolve hardened. I pushed the pedal again, and the world became a blur around me as I took it to the edge. The engines screamed in protest, but I didn't care.
With every second ticking by, I got closer to Wei. He was determined, with a fusion of arrogance and focus in his features. The finishing line was near, and I had to make a move—fast.
"Stay sharp!" I warned Kira as we approached the turn, very tight. Leaning into the corner, feeling the motorcycle respond to my input now an extension of my will, I cried, "I'm going to overtake him on the next straight!"
As I approached the last corner, my heartbeat harmonized with the engine and all my force was given to it.
The world around me melted into nothingness, and it was replaced by the pounding of adrenaline in my blood. Every pulse of air-motorcycle power pumped excitement directly to my stomach. I could see that finish line ahead, but it was the crowd on their feet, cheering as we approached.
But something was pulling at my consciousness. I saw Kira out of the corner of my eye, her face altering from fierce determination to something else altogether. Her eyes fixed on my Nova Watch, which pulsed with a brilliant white glow, like a heartbeat. The energy seemed almost to be transmitted through its surge to mirror the one inside.
"Kira, hold on!" I shouted, not even bothering to look away from the road. With Wei just a few lengths ahead, I knew I had to act fast. I was prepared to do whatever it took to stop him, even if that meant bumping him off course.
"Zane, wait— " Kira began to say, her voice trembling with worry, but I was in for it now. I thrust forward, the gap narrowing, my resolve churning the motorcycle's engine.
As I closed in, I figured out the angle. Wei's vehicle went through like silk, but I felt the tension; he knew I was coming. He looked back, and his eyes tightened with irritation as if to tell me I'd never beat him.
Something hit me and I wanted to thump into him, so hard that he would recoil, coming off his cocky position. It was nearing the final lap, and my instincts screamed at me to go for it; it was now or never. I floored it and accelerated harder, muddling out the remaining sound of the engine roar.
"Let's do this," I whispered, and the taste of victory already felt like it was on my lips. I leaned my body to the left, trying to get the motorcycle as close as possible, with the rush of wind hitting my face.
It wasn't until Kira screamed that I could hear any of what she was shouting into my ear. All that existed was my eyes, the car, and Wei. I could almost feel the tension in the air as we crept closer to each other, two fighting competitors locked in a desperation to outdo each other.
"Come on!" I pushed the motorcycle to its limits as the finish line came closer and closer. I gave one last push and aimed at running into Wei, willing to risk everything for a shot at winning.
Then came the shock as Wei fought back, his car swerving to ram into mine. The force went through my arms like an electric shock, but I gritted my teeth, nudging him right back. We were neck and neck, bumping into each other with brutal intensity, each of us hellbent on knocking the other off course.
Wei flashed me a fast, angry glance, the automatic smirk of confidence stripping away to something harder and more fevered. He swung back, trying to push me wide, but I pushed closer, forcing his auto to rock with the weight loss of its balance.
We had locked our attention on one another, locked into this furious battle, until—
A flash of warning filled my mind too late. The moment we both looked up, it hit. My grip tightened as our vehicles collided headfirst into a twisted pile of debris, the sickening crunch of metal splitting the air.